Listen To Your Heart
by mistresofmordor
Summary: RikuoxKazahayaThey have their first interlude, and then, even with the ensuing awkwardness, go on a mission together which leads to another interlude.


"AHHH!" Kazahaya cried out, arching his back in ecstasy. "**_Rikuou_**!"

With a grunt, Rikuou pressed deeper, making Kazahaya moan loudly. With a smirk that barely warmed his eyes, Rikuou paused, allowing the echoes of Kazahaya's moan to fade. With renewed want, he moved again.

Moments later, Rikuou moaned himself. He fell panting to Kazahaya's side, then promptly moved away.

"So..." Kazahaya began tentatively after a few minutes spent staring at the ceiling. "What does this make us?"

"Nothing."

"What!" Kazahaya cried, propping himself up on his elbow to stare at Rikuou.

"We're room mates. And coworkers."

"You can't mean that."

"You're such a whiner."

"Ugh!" Kazahaya gasped in indignation. "Well, I'm sorry!"

Rikuou looked at him, his eyes catching the light from the kitchen that streamed in through the bedroom door. "You're such a woman," he commented quietly.

"What do you mean by that!" Kazahaya cried angrily, grabbing Rikuou's wrist.

Rikuou laughed quietly and pulled his arm away easily. "You're overly emotional."

"I-I am not!" Kazahaya stuttered, trying to conceal his distress.

Rikuou looked into his face as if he were trying to look into him. "Yes, you are. You may be a man, but you've still got the emotional spectrum of a woman."

"I do _not_!" Kazahaya shouted angrily.

"Yes, you do," Rikuou said as he propped himself up onto his elbows. "You let everything bug you."

"Damn you, you bastard."

"Ooh, ouch," Rikuou said with a smile as he leaned close and kissed Kazahaya firmly on the mouth.

"Mumph!" Kazahaya gasped in surprise as he felt Rikuou's tongue lightly flick against his lips.

"What?" Rikuou asked calmly when he pulled back a few inches.

"Rikuou...?" Kazahaya questioned dazedly, his eyes swimming out of focus.

Rikuou leaned in and kissed Kazahaya again. This time, he didn't pull back.

Kazahaya moaned softly against Rikuou's lips, tried to pull Rikuou down onto himself. With a sigh, Rikuou allowed himself to be pulled down. Kazahaya's fingers traced small circles on Rikuou's shoulders. Rikuou shivered as a chill spread from where Kazahaya's fingers had been only moments before, icy ghost-traces.

"Aah...!" Rikuou gasped as he moved against Kazahaya again. "Uhn!"

Kazahaya yelped wordlessly, as much from pleasure as surprise and pain. Soon enough, the pain transmuted itself into wave upon crashing wave of pleasure, thunderous and all consuming.

"Aaah!" Kazahaya cried loudly, biting the pillow he had been pushing the side of his face into to keep himself from screaming.

Rikuou stopped and looked down at Kazahaya in surprise, his eyes widening. He lowered himself onto his elbows and took Kazahaya's face into his hands, turned it to his own.

"Is it too much for you?" he asked, his voice low with concern.

Kazahaya stared up into Rikuou's eyes as he whispered, his chest heaving, "No... it's not too much."

"Are you sure?"

Kazahaya nodded once and closed his eyes to slits, waiting for Rikuou to continue.

"Kazahaya...?" Rikuou said quietly.

He opened his eyes again, and was surprised when Rikuou lowered his mouth and kissed him gently. For one brief moment, he was seeing with Rikuou's eyes, feeling with his body, tasting with his mouth. Kazahaya slowly kissed him back, testing the strength of the psychic connection. Rikuou pulled back as he suddenly arched himself against Kazahaya with a shaky moan; seconds later, Kazahaya gasped.

Rikuou fell panting onto Kazahaya, who put his arms around him to keep him from moving away. Rikuou licked Kazahaya's ear, making him shiver.

"Was there a... connection?" Rikuou asked suddenly, propping himself up to look down at Kazahaya.

"Yeah, kind of..." Kazahaya muttered weakly.

"What's wrong?" Rikuou queried, peering into Kazahaya's eyes.

"Mmmmm..." Kazahaya groaned softly, "I'm wiped out... maybe it was too much?"

Rikuou smiled softly as Kazahaya's eyes slowly closed, and he drifted off to sleep, muttering, "Was it... too much...?... but not enough..."

Rikuou shifted his weight off of Kazahaya's body.

"Rikuou?" Kazahaya questioned, half asleep.

Rikuou settled down next to Kazahaya, who turned and snuggled up against his side.

"Don't go..." he whispered softly, in the twilight state just before sleep stole him over.

Rikuou put his arm around Kazahaya and tightened it, pulling him close. "I won't..."

"Ugh, wh- what happened...?" Kazahaya asked groggily to no one in particular.

He noticed he was in Rikuou's room.

"You're finally awake?" Rikuou asked from the doorway to his bathroom as he slowly toweled his hair.

"So... that wasn't a dream?"

"Not likely," Rikuou laughed softly.

"Err..." Kazahaya gaped, as Rikuou moved to his dresser and pulled open a drawer.

"If you want to, you can shower... I'll make breakfast."

Kazahaya sat up slowly with a groan, his body aching pleasantly from the night before. _How did it all happen?_ he thought as he turned and laid his feet on the floor. He suddenly realized that he wasn't wearing anything, and blushed scarlet.

"Still trying to be pure?" Rikuou joked as he threw Kazahaya a towel. "It won't work... not after last night."

"What? I can barely remember..."

"You will eventually... hopefully... it would be a pain to explain it all."

Kazahaya nodded and stood, holding the towel around his hips. He began to walk to the door, and was half way there when Rikuou caught him around the waist.

"R-Rikuou!" Kazahaya cried in surprise as he was pulled into Rikuou's arms.

Rikuou leaned down and kissed him, pressing his lips apart. Kazahaya began to pull back, and Rikuou put his hands on Kazahaya's face, pulled him closer. Kazahaya gave in with a soft groan, kissed back.

"Mmmmm..." Kazahaya sighed, leaning against Rikuou.

Rikuou held Kazahaya close for a moment, then released him. "If you don't get ready, we'll be late... and Kakei'll dock our pay."

"Okay!" Kazahaya cried, rushing out and down the hall to his own bathroom, where he turned on the water and stood under the hot spray.

_I really can't remember last night, not for the life of me!_ Kazahaya thought as he quickly lathered his hair. _Is it something that I would **want** to remember?_ He quickly discarded that idea; he didn't like not being able to recall his own experiences. _What did he **do**?_

"Itadakimasu," Kazahaya said quietly, looking around the table at the picture-perfect breakfast that Rikuou had prepared within the fifteen minutes he had been in the shower.

Rikuou looked up from the morning paper with a piece of toast in his mouth. He reached up and took it out of his mouth with a smile. "Itadakimasu."

Kazahaya glanced up at him from his own toast in surprise. "You've never said thanks with me..." he commented quietly, averting his gaze back to his toast.

"Don't make a big deal out of it."

Kazahaya nodded with a soft smile at his toast.

"Himura, Kudo-kun, you're both late," a beautiful blonde in a lab coat reprimanded.

"Sorry, Kakei-san..." Kazahaya muttered apologetically.

"You should be!" a deep voice rumbled from behind him as a hand shot forwards and curled around his waist.

"Saiga..." Kakei said with a soft smile.

"Fine," Saiga sighed, releasing Kazahaya, "you lucked out this time, boy."

Kazahaya gulped and looked at Kakei gratefully.

"Would you shelve those?" he asked, pointing to a pile of sealed boxes.

"Uh-huh," Kazahaya replied, his mind wandering away from work to the night before.

_Okay, so... I was complaining half-heartedly about... something. I can't remember what exactly... but I had just taken a sip of tea... set the glass down... and he leaned down and kissed me. I almost fell out of my chair, but he caught me... and pulled me closer..._ he pondered, a faint blush rising on his cheeks as he stocked shampoo and toothpaste. _Mmmmm... he led me to his bedroom, and I protested... but he didn't listen... and I started to not care. It just felt so, _he thought with a shiver,_ good. I could barely focus enough to pull off my shirt... uh.. Hang on. **I**__pulled of my **own** shirt!_

"What are you thinking about?" Rikuou asked with a smirk. "You're putting whitening toothpaste where dandruff shampoo is supposed to be."

"N-nothing!" Kazahaya blushed, shifting uncomfortably.

"Right," Rikuou sniggered. "Keep thinking about 'nothing' and you'll need to go on break..."

"Uh! Hey, wait...!" Kazahaya twitched, adjusting his pants. "Bastard..."

_He... was... gentle... but distant..._ his thoughts continued as he righted the mis-shelved toothpaste with a look at Rikuou. _Even when I... cried his name out... he wouldn't become... comfortable. Not like it **was** comfortable, but still.. He's the one who initiated it!__He should've showed more of what he was feeling..._

"Kudo-kun, could you go man the register?" Kakei asked with a smile, touching Kazahaya's shoulder gently.

"O-okay, Kakei-san!" Kazahaya said, hurrying to the front of the store.

"That'll be... ¥463..."

"Okay!" the woman said, handing over the money, waiting to receive her change

"Thank you for shopping at Green Drugstore!"

"Kazahaya, thanks for working the front..." Kakei said with a smile. "Could you come to the back please?"

"Okay, Kakei-san."

A few moments later, Kazahaya was sitting in the backroom on one of the large sofas staring across at Rikuou, who was leaning back resting his head on the sofa he was sitting on.

"As usual," Kakei began, his eyes gleaming. "This is entirely optional. You both have the right to say no, and I won't press the matter."

"Okay, Kakei-san." Rikuou said, still leaning back.

"Yeah," Kazahaya said, "I need the money."

With a smile, Kakei said, "I thought so. Well, this is a new type of assignment..."

"What do you mean?" Kazahaya asked worriedly.

"Oh, nothing major..." Kakei smiled. "This time, you need to take some pictures of a building. This camera," he said, lifting a disposable camera from his pocket, "should have enough film to take care of getting it from as many angles as possible. And, if you would, try and get a few from inside as well. I've text messaged the location to both of your cell phones. And please, do take turns with the camera? Pictures from both of your points of view would be good, if not perfect."

"Okay, Kakei... when do you want this done by?"

"The sooner the better, same as usual." Kakei smiled at Rikuou.

"Okay, Kakei-san. We'll have it done A.S.A.P." Rikuou said with a sigh, taking the camera when it was offered to him.

Without a word, the two boys walked out of the back room.

"Oh, Kakei..." Saiga whispered with a laugh into Kakei's ear.

"What?" Kakei smirked, taking one of Saiga's hands in his own. "I'm only giving them a small push..."

"So, why do you think we're taking pictures?" Kazahaya asked, trying to break the uncomfortable silence that had been following the two since they had left the drugstore.

"Kakei probably wants to move into a new apartment, but can't tear himself away from the drugstore for even a minute... or, he just wanted 'alone time' with Saiga... whichever."

"Err..." Kazahaya smiled in spite of himself. "Yeah, probably..."

Rikuou remained silent, and that silence grew until it was nearly deafening.

"So..." Kazahaya said, again trying to break the awkward silence.

Rikuou looked at him and then quickly away. "What?"

Quietly, Kazahaya asked, "Can I take the first picture?"

Rikuou scoffed slightly, but when Kazahaya looked away sadly, he softened. "If you want..."

"Really?"

Handing over the camera, Rikuou said, "Yes, really. Just don't-"

Kazahaya snapped a picture of Rikuou with a smile.

"-take any pictures of me..." He sighed and shook his head.

"S-sorry.." Kazahaya stammered, his arm falling limply to his side.

Rikuou shook his head softly. "It's fine. I just don't like my picture being taken..."

"Why not?"

"... I... I don't know."

Kazahaya looked up at him, shocked at his tone. _He's actually... being honest.._ he thought suddenly. He looked away when he saw Rikuou glance down at him.

"I think this is the place."

"Uh," Kazahaya said, "yeah, it must be. But..." He stared at the decrepit building. "It's so run down."

"Let's just take a few pictures."

Kazahaya nodded and put the camera to his eye. "Are those boards across the windows?"

Rikuou looked at him swiftly. "It's abandoned, then?"

The sudden urgency of the question startled Kazahaya. He quickly snapped a picture of the building, then handed the camera to Rikuou. "Here, see for yourself."

Taking the camera, Rikuou turned quickly to the building. "Damn, it's 7684, not 6784... it looks just like..." he trailed off.

"Rikuou?"

Startled, Rikuou turned to Kazahaya, his eyes slightly out of focus. "What?"

"Are you okay? You look kind of..."

Suddenly, Rikuou leaned down and kissed Kazahaya.

"Uh!" Kazahaya exclaimed, pulling away. "What...?"

Shaking his head, Rikuou said, "Let's try and get inside. Kakei said he wanted pictures from all possible points."

"Okay..."

Rikuou walked across the street, and Kazahaya followed.

"So," Rikuou whispered as he tried the door. "It's locked..."

Kazahaya nodded as Rikuou proceeded to snap the lock. Rikuou nudged the door lightly with his foot, and it swung open without a sound. Both of them walked in, and just as Kazahaya's foot cleared the entrance, the door closed on it's own.

Startled, Kazahaya reached forward and grasped Rikuou's hand in his own. Rikuou smirked softly but squeezed Kazahaya's hand reassuringly.

"So, pictures?" he said lightly, lifting the camera that still dangled from his hand.

"Err-" Kazahaya gasped, pulling his hand away. "Sorry... I was... startled."

Rikuou smiled knowingly at him. "So, you want to take more pictures?"

Eyes lighting up, Kazahaya said, "Yeah!"

Smiling sensually, Rikuou said, "Here," and handed Kazahaya the camera.

Kazahaya smiled back at Rikuou without a single thought, merely returning kindness in like fashion. Rikuou again leaned down and kissed Kazahaya, who, in shock, snapped another picture, capturing the dying light streaming in through the half-rotten boards covering the window. Kazahaya struggled for a moment, then actively responded, slipping his arms around Rikuou, pulling him closer.

Rikuou broke the kiss without moving away. "Sorry," he whispered, sounding as if he really wasn't.

Kazahaya swallowed hard, his eyes barely focused as he leaned up and kissed Rikuou. "I don't care... just don't stop."

Rikuou stared at Kazahaya's closed eyes as he felt himself kissed, then surrendered to the sensation, pushed Kazahaya closer to the wall while gently taking the camera from his hands. Kazahaya's hands, once freed, flew to Rikuou's back and clutched tightly at the muscle. Inadvertently, Rikuou clicked a picture, capturing the room from hip-level.

Startled by the flash, he dropped the camera, and almost instantly forgot about it completely. Shocked into submission, Rikuou moaned openly as Kazahaya turned him to the wall and pushed him gently against it, rocking slowly upward.

Breathing hard, Kazahaya pulled back a few inches with a questioning look in his eyes. Rikuou slid his hands up to Kazahaya's cheeks and pulled his face close for a moment, staring into his eyes. With a soft, wanting sigh, he kissed Kazahaya slowly, letting his passion albeit overwhelm him.

Kazahaya, without thinking about consequences, began to remove his clothes slowly; Rikuou watched for a few moments, and then began to remove his own clothes with a haste that was borderline reckless.

Slowly, Kazahaya moved to the floor, and Rikuou followed quickly, pinning him gently. With a soft moan, Kazahaya let Rikuou know that he was willing, and Rikuou took lead with a swiftness that brought Kazahaya to the brink of delirium in moments.

Stifling a scream, Kazahaya pressed himself hard against Rikuou, who was panting with exertion and strain. Completely disregarding the fact that they were in a semi-public place, Rikuou moaned loudly, allowing himself a brief moment of vulnerability as he exposed his true self to Kazahaya. Kazahaya found Rikuou's inner soul so absolutely perfect that he didn't want him to ever leave, and when Rikuou reinstated his barrier, Kazahaya sighed disappointedly.

Slowly, Rikuou disentangled himself from Kazahaya and sat up. He looked down at Kazahaya's closed eyelids and could picture with startling accuracy their exact amber-green tint. On a sudden impulse, he leaned down and kissed his lips, lightly running his fingers down Kazahaya's neck. Kazahaya pressed up against his firm lips, and softly opened his mouth on his own accord to receive an even deeper kiss.

After a few seconds, Rikuou gently pulled away with a soft sigh. "We should be getting back to work," he said, looking away at their carelessly discarded clothes.

With a soft, sad sigh, Kazahaya too sat up and looked Rikuou in the eyes. "I love you."

"Uh-!" Rikuou exclaimed in shock at Kazahaya's sincerity.

"I-I'm sorry... if you'd still like, I can..." He sighed. "Just forget that I said anything, okay?"

"No! I... I can't forget what you said. Well, I_ can_, but I won't!" Rikuou said, slipping close to Kazahaya again. "I... I love you, too."

Kazahaya looked up at him in shock, his eyes flickering with hope for an instant before returning to normal. "But I'm still just your co-worker, aren't I?"

"I'd like to call you my lover, but... I won't if you don't want me to."

"I want to be... more than just your lover, but..." Kazahaya breathed, leading up against Rikuou and slipping his arms around him.

Rikuou kissed Kazahaya lightly, and said, "Whatever you want. I'm yours."

Shock flickered across Kazahaya's visage again. "We should hurry back... otherwise they might think something's going on," he said, changing the subject quickly, and without tact.

"Yeah," Rikuou replied, deciding to let Kazahaya change the subject without protest, "but... they might already know. Who knows _what_ Saiga can do... or Kakei, for that matter."

They both rose slowly and began to gather their clothes. As they languidly dressed, they realized that the sun had fully set, and neither one had a flashlight, even though their eyes had adjusted to the darkness.

"C'mon," Rikuou sighed, adjusting his belt. "We should try and get out of here before anyone decides to see why the door's lock is broken... or someone _else_ comes in here..."

Kazahaya nodded and swiftly tied his shoe, stood up. He smiled softly and said, "Don't forget the camera. It would be bad if we forgot it... even if we only took a few pictures with it."

Rikuou nodded and lifted the camera from where it had dropped, and quickly wound it, put it in his jacket pocket. Offering his hand uncertainly, he said, "Let's go."

"Ah, so you got the pictures like I asked?" Kakei asked with a devious smile, Saiga's lips curling into a smile against his shoulder.

"Yeah, Kakei-san," Rikuou sighed, handing the camera back over.

"Then go develop the film. We have a photo section for a reason..."

Rikuou nodded and again took the camera, giving Kazahaya a secret smile as they walked by each other, Kazahaya going up to their apartment above the drugstore.

"How did you know?" Saiga asked with a smile, softly rubbing Kakei's shoulders.

"I knew it would happen from the beginning, and when Kudo-kun came in today with that 'I just got laid' look, I _knew_. And, to be fully honest, Rikuou needed someone to crack his icy exterior."

"I agree... when Tsukiko-san was around, he would smile..."

"He smiled a Kudo-kun... just now, in fact." Kakei said with a smile, turning in Saiga's embrace to kiss him lightly.

"I noticed the change... he was holding himself differently." Saiga smiled, reveling in the sensation of the infrequent and precious kisses.

"So, how're the pictures coming along?" Kazahaya asked quietly, returning from their apartment in new clothes.. "There aren't any of _us_, are there?"

"None as of yet... but I'm only through five of them. And they're of Saiga in awkward outfits... I must say that he looks good in sailor suits..."

"Wait, what?" Kazahaya asked with a laugh. "Now that's hilarious."

"What the hell? Isn't this the picture you took?" he asked, handing the freshly printed picture to Kazahaya.

"Wait a minute... who is this? Isn't this the picture I took of you? Who is this?"

"I don't know any better than you do."

"Oh my- look at that one! It's the one of the building! It looks new! What the hell?"

"It _was_ a Kakei job... so the odd is normal... but- eh!"

Kazahaya looked up at Rikuou in surprise. "What?"

"This is the inside of the building, that you took when I kissed you-" he slightly blushed at his own statement, but continued quickly, "the window, it's covered in blood!"

"Oh, god..." Kazahaya gasped, "look at the next one..."

Rikuou looked at the picture that had just fallen into his palm and, with a soft cry, fell to his knees, dropping the picture.

"Rikuou?" Kazahaya asked worriedly, touching his hand. Immediately, he was thrown into another flashback, akin to the one from a few months before, with blood everywhere.

"It's so much... blood... everywhere, I can't see anything but the blood!" Rikuou gasped, his palms over his eyes.

"Are you okay?" Kazahaya asked, kneeling down in front of him. "What's wrong?"

"The blood... oh, god..." Rikuou buried his face in his hands and softly sobbed once, his whole frame shaking.

"Rikuou..." Kazahaya murmured, softly touching his shoulder.

Rikuou reached out and grabbed hold of Kazahaya's wrist, pulled him closer into his lap and held him tightly. "Don't die on me... don't disappear." he whispered into Kazahaya's neck, softly kissing his collarbone.

Kazahaya pulled away and looked up to find Kakei and Saiga standing over the both of them smiling. "Uh-" he began, embarrassed beyond words.

"Don't worry, Kudo-kun." Kakei smiled, reaching down and touching Rikuou's head lightly. "He's just on overload... these pictures are bringing back some horrid memories... one's he'd much rather forget. But it's never good to push the past out of your memory, is it?"

"Kakei-san?" Rikuou asked in a meek voice, looking up at his boss with tear filled eyes.

"It's okay, Rikuou..." Kakei said, leaning down next to the two boys; Rikuou still hadn't let go of Kazahaya.

"I won't leave, Rikuou..." Kazahaya whispered to him, placing his own arms around Rikuou's shoulders. "Why would I?"

"I just can't bear to lose you..." Rikuou sighed, relaxing his hold on Kazahaya slightly. "And I don't know why."

"As far as I can tell," Kakei said with a smile as he stood, "he won't be leaving for some time... _quite_ some time, if my instincts are right... unless, of course, you smother him."

Rikuou released Kazahaya quickly, suddenly realizing what he had been doing.

"Ha-ha, Himura's embarrassed that we bore witness to his emotions!" Saiga laughed, wrapping Kakei in his arms.

"Don't mind him, Rikuou-san," Kakei said serenely, "he'll pay for that later..."

Kazahaya twitched once, then laughed. "I don't know why, but I'm not exactly... as unnerved by this as I was before..." he announced.

"What do you mean?" Rikuou asked in slight confusion, still shaken by the images _and_ the fact that Saiga had hit the nail on the head.

"I take it the pictures turned out?" Kakei asked, deftly changing the subject.

"If you wanted pictures of the place that aren't of it now," Rikuou sighed, accepting the fact that he wouldn't get answers at that moment.

Kakei lifted the pictures that had been stacked on the counter and looked them over quickly.

"Here, Kakei-san," Kazahaya said, offering the last picture up to Kakei, who took it and looked at it too.

"Mission complete," he said, rather matter-of-factly. "You'll both be paid. Now, I'm sure you're both rather exhausted, so you can both have the rest of the day off."

"Thank you, Kakei-san!" Kazahaya exclaimed, quickly standing up.

"Kakei, it's 10 o'clock," Rikuou commented. "This is when we'd usually be getting off."

Kakei laughed softly. "Fine, Himura-kun. You can both have tomorrow off..."

Rikuou smirked but said, "Thank you, Kakei-san," respectfully, with a smile. He stood slowly and walked toward the stairs at the back of the store, to get to the apartment.

Kazahaya stood watching him for a moment, and then started after him. He heard Saiga snigger softly, then gasp, and almost turned around, but decided that he didn't want to see something that would warp his almost overloaded mind.

Rikuou had already started walking up the stairs when he heard Kazahaya call to him, "Wait, please..."

He turned around and leaned against he wall, looking at the amber-green eyes staring up at him until they were right in front of his face. "What?"

"Are you all right?"

Shortly, Rikuou said, "I'm fine."

"I'm not going to ask you what it was about, I just..." Kazahaya sighed. "I was just worried about you, that's all."

"Why would it matter to you? It didn't affect you."

A pained look crossed Kazahaya's face. He said, "So what if it didn't affect _me_. It affected you, and that's all that really matters!"

Rikuou closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall, slid down a few inches until his face was level with Kazahaya's. "Why? Why do you care so much?"

Kazahaya leaned close and was surprised when Rikuou attempted to push against the wall. "What's wrong with you?"

"Kudo-kun, Himura, would you please come to work tomorrow? Just from eight p.m. till ten. I have to give you your pay, and I think I have another assignment for the two of you. If you don't want to take it, I understand, but..." Kakei smiled up at the two from the bottom of the stairs.

"Err-" Kazahaya blushed furiously, easing away from Rikuou. "Okay, Kakei-san... I'll be there."

"Me, too." Rikuou smiled.

"Thank you both! Now, I'm going to close up, so I'll see you both then."

Still blushing, Kazahaya ran up the rest of the stairs, and Rikuou followed slowly behind.

"Why didn't you tell me that he was at the bottom of the stairs?" Kazahaya asked as Rikuou reached the head of the stairs.

"I kind of wanted to see what your reaction would be... see if you meant what you said earlier." Rikuou retorted as he walked past Kazahaya into their living room, where he sat on the sofa.

"What do you mean by that?"

"If you would hold true to what you so eloquently said in that old, run-down house."

"I didn't want Kakei to know-" Kazahaya began, but was cut off by Rikuou.

"That you had finally decided to come forward with your feelings?"

"Yeah, you're one to speak!"

Slyly, Rikuou said, "If I remember right, you could've pushed me away and said, 'No, I'm not into that.' and I would've stopped. Simple as that."

"You know damn well what I mean, you bastard!" Kazahaya shouted, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "What took you so long to come forward?"

Rikuou reached out and grabbed Kazahaya's wrist, pulled him down next to himself. "I was never sure of what you felt. I didn't want to screw things up between us any more than they already seemed to be. I knew that something was supposed to happen between me and you, or else I wouldn't have picked you up from the snow... I would've let you die. But something in me told me to pick you up... and I don't regret that I did. Last night, you just looked perfect, completely blissful as you set your tea down... I just couldn't stop myself. And, for the first time with you, I was doing what I wanted to do... what I could do... and it made you happy... or that was a scream of pain... and you're a masochist. But I don't think you are... you almost cried at first, and I almost stopped..."

"I... did cry. But it wasn't tears... it was one single sob... and it wasn't of pain, or fear, but of..." Kazahaya blushed slightly, but pressed on, "of release."

"If I had known..."

Kazahaya leaned back and closed his eyes as he came to rest against the arm-rest. He opened his eyes a moment later when he felt breath against his neck, and saw Rikuou inches from him. Rikuou stared into his eyes for a few seconds, and then laid his head onto Kazahaya's chest with a sigh. Kazahaya stroked his cheek, and when he looked up into the amber-green eyes, he was kissed.

"Kazahaya..." he whispered when they broke apart.

"I'm hungry..." Kazahaya said, his stomach rumbling suddenly under Rikuou's chest. "Are you? I could make some... ramen..."

Rikuou laughed and rolled off of Kazahaya, stood. "I'll make something... and you can help."

"Yeah," Kazahaya murmured, "I can boil water..."

"All you have to do is have a little bit of confidence." Rikuou said, turning around so suddenly that Kazahaya walked into him.

"Easy for you to say..."

Rikuou shook his head and leaned down close to Kazahaya. "You make the best scrambled eggs that I've ever had."

"Really? Do you mean it?"

"As much as I mean this," he smirked, kissing Kazahaya firmly on the mouth. "And I do. So don't even question it."

Kazahaya nodded and sighed softly. He leaned up and kissed Rikuou harder that he had been kissed, allowing his lips to be pressed open by Rikuou's tongue. Slowly, he disentangled himself from the taller boy's arms, and walked towards the kitchen; Rikuou stared at his back for a moment, then followed.

"I'll do whatever you want me to..." Kazahaya said, leaning on the counter near the faucet.

"Then why don't you make ramen? You do that better than I do..."

"What happened to you making dinner?"

"I decided that ramen sounded good... and mine never cooks all the way."

"Uh..." Kazahaya blinked twice. "You put in hot water, and microwave it for three minutes. Like it says on the package."

Rikuou rolled his eyes and walked closer to Kazahaya. "You don't want to, then?"

"I will, but that's because I'm hungry! I was kind of looking forward to your miso soup... but it's okay..."

Rikuou smiled down at Kazahaya and said, "I'll make you whatever you want tomorrow... but I'm so exhausted right now... it'd turn out horrible. Trust me, I've lived with myself for eighteen years."

Kazahaya sniggered slightly, and said, "Okay, I'll make you ramen... any specific flav-"

Rikuou kissed him softly, stroking his cheek.

"Rikuou..." Kazahaya sighed, leaning against him. He jumped when he felt Rikuou's hand against the small of his back. "Rikuou?"

Rikuou shook his head, took out two packages of ramen and handed them to Kazahaya. "I'll just watch... get some insight as to how to make good ramen."

Kazahaya nodded and opened both packages; set them on the counter. "What's going on here?" he asked as he set the ramen into the microwave and set the timer for five minutes.

"What do you mean?"

"Why are we acting like this is the most natural thing in the world?"

Rikuou paused for a few moments and watched the digital count-down. "Because we've been wholly honest?" he suggested, sitting down at the table.

"Finally," Kazahaya agreed, sitting down across from Rikuou. "And all because of what happened less than twenty-four hours ago."

Mau…. Did you like? Comment, please!


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